Attaching buttons on a finished upholstered chair

[Ageorge]

We've had this question come up a couple of times lately.  Is there a way to re-attach a covered button that has 'popped' off the inside back of a chair?  There is no deep tufting involved. We'd rather not take off the cambric and outside back fabric if possible.  Thanks in advance for any tips you may have.

[ahkahn]

I'm no expert, but to my knowledge without having to take everything apart, the only option would be a screw stud and a durasnap. 

Does the timesaver button tufting needle allow for this to be done with a loop back and tufting twine?

-Andrew

[byhammerandhand]

I've often wondered this myself.   My last job involved removing about 4 layers  off the outside back.

I've been told these http://www.perfectfit.com/15362/154600/Tools/Timesaver-Tufting-Needle.html work, but haven't ponied up the $60 or so it would take to get one plus the clasps.

[sofadoc]

Does the timesaver button tufting needle allow for this to be done with a loop back and tufting twine?

Of course it does. That's what it's for. But I would caution. It's only as good as the backing that you're tufting into.
If the inside back lining is flimsy, the clips won't have anything to grab hold of.

There is a "cheating" way, IF you don't mind leaving a needle hole on the outside back of the chair. You thread one end of the twine into your tufting needle, push it all the way through the outside back, and then poke it back through the front so that the 2 ends are protruding from the front of chair. then tie off the button.
When poking back through, you have to move the needle over just a bit (so you don't go right back through the same hole).

In addition to the "Timesaver" tufting needle, there is also a No. 613 tufting needle that is about half as much. And since it has a slightly bigger clip, I like it better.

[Steve at Silverstone Fabrics]

Here is what I was taught by my dad........30 years ago.

Here is what you need:
 -A round tip button needle (the longer the better)
 -Your button
 -Button twine
 -Flat head screwdriver
 -Upholstery tack & hammer
 -Rubber mallet
 -A normal sewing needle
 
Thread your button onto your button twine and then insert the twine through the eye of your needle. Now, you are going to "stick" the needle all the way through the In Back and straight through the Out Back (FYI: The reason you want to use the round tipped needle is, as you are going through the Out Back .....you need to "spin" the needle and try to open up the weave ) Once the needle is pushed all the way through and the string is dangling , look to see which tack band is the closest to the string. Take you flat head screwdriver and pry your tack band up. Now, stick your needle back into the hole you just opened up.........the trick is to push the needle toward the opening you just created with the flat head screw driver. As the eye of the needle is about to disappear into the hole, re-string the twine back through the eye and proceed to pull the needle out at the opening under the tack band.

At this point here is what you should have. The button should be in it's proper place. You will have a hole in the Out Back. One of your tack bands has been pried loose and it has 2 strings hanging out the opening.

Now, pull on the strings and the button will start to "set". Once you get comfortable with the odd string placement and how it pulls the button.......release the string. You need to drive 1 or 2 tacks under the loosened tack band (you can use your staple gun to do this step, if you are in your shop).....now grab the strings again and pull. Once the button is "set" , wrap the twine around the tacks and drive them in. Once you are happy with your repair, take your rubber mallet and drive the tack band back into position.

Now, let's fix the hole you made in the Out Back.....since we were careful not to break the weave, take a small needle and push the yarn back together and in most cases 99.9857% , the hole will not the noticeable.

The repair will not work with all fabrics but over my lifetime, I have done this exact repair in some of the finest hotels and homes in the South.

I hope this was helpful........and understandable. Steve

[Steve at Silverstone Fabrics]

SD........You posted while I was typing. Sorry about the redundancy of my post. Steve

[sofadoc]

SD........You posted while I was typing. Sorry about the redundancy of my post. Steve

No problem. Your answer was much more concise. I've done the flat screwdriver trick myself.

[Peppy]

Steve, awesome post! I've never had it come up, but now I can't wait to give it a whirl! I've seen the boss do the tufting needle trick and people look at him like a magician. I can only imagine the customers faces after that ordeal. No doubt they'd struggle to find the hole in the back to point out to all their friends!

[ahkahn]

That's what I thought, thanks guys. 

BTW, Keith, we sell the #417 timesaver needle for $30.00, and a box of 500 clasps for $21.00, so it's not as expensive as you thought.

-Andrew

[baileyuph]

Some questions on the remedy:  If there is a tack band, is this equivalent to a tack strip?  Would loosing the tack strip be a viable solution?  It would enable access to get inside to type off the button.

Also if there is wood to drive a couple tacks or staple into, would that have been the preferred techniques initially?

Back to the technique described, if the two tacks are at such an angle, wouldn't the button show that it is being pulled at an off angle?

Regarding the technique described, now that you got the button set, will the button twine gain slack in it when the back is depressed and over time become loose?

Like SD said, the materials the button twine are pulled through need to be strong, example burlap.  I have learned the hardway to ensure that is strong and burned when I didn't if buttons are involved.

Furniture today, unless the design dictates, will not usually incorporate buttons, customers of reupholstery, many think it dates the design and ask if they can be left off.

Doyle

[gene]

I love my tufting needle. There is usually foam or cotton or poly batting on the inside back of furniture that helps to hold the tab. Those really deep tuftings where the foam has been cut out to help the button be recessed a lot can be a problem.

Do you know where the face fabric/decking material is hand stitched across the deck, from side to side? I experiemented with using my tufting needle for this instead of using my curved needle. The idea was great but the tufting needle was too thick.

gene

[byhammerandhand]

I'm just not following this, either.

What are you calling a "tack band?" 

What if your button is in the middle of a sofa and it's several feet to the edge of the outback, farther than your needle is long?

Are both ends of the button twine in the needle's eye and does the eye end go in first or last?

If you are pulling the needle all the way out, then trying to hit the same spot again, why not just push it 90% of the way through the outback?

Maybe some photos would help?  My original mental image was  to pull the needle almost out, then run it back in and (hopefully) hit a different hole a few mm away from the one it came out and thus making a stitch in the inner side of the back that anchors it.   But that is what what you described.

Here is what I was taught by my dad........30 years ago.

I hope this was helpful........and understandable. Steve

[sofadoc]

What are you calling a "tack band?"

The term refers to the nailstrip (either cardboard or metal) that finishes off the sides of the back panel. You pry it up enough to feed your twine over to the edge, and anchor it. But your right, if the button is way out in the middle of a long sofa, it doesn't always work so well. And like Doyle mentioned, it sometimes pulls the button at a drastic angle.  What you described it as "making a stitch" is another way of doing it.
Here's a short demo of the Osborne #613 tufting needle. Use your imagination, and pretend that the piece of foam is the inside back of a chair:


I like this tool better than the "Timesaver" tool. It leaves a slightly smaller hole, and dispenses a slightly larger clip. And it is cheaper than the "Timesaver" needle.

[kodydog]

Sofa great demo. That's exactly the way I fix buttons.

[Ageorge]

Thanks so much for all the help!!